London lord mayor Fiona Woolf to lead child sexual abuse inquiry
Neil Puffett
Friday, September 5, 2014
The current lord mayor of London Fiona Woolf will lead an independent inquiry into historical child sexual abuse, the government has announced.
The appointment of Woolf, a qualified lawyer and energy expert, comes two months after the initial choice for the position, retired High Court judge Lady Elizabeth Butler-Sloss, stood down after admitting that she had failed to take into account a family conflict of interest.
The inquiry will consider whether public bodies and other important institutions have taken their duty of care to protect children from sexual abuse seriously.
Woolf will be assisted by Graham Wilmer, a child sexual abuse victim and founder of the Lantern Project, and Barbara Hearn, former deputy chief executive of the National Children’s Bureau (NCB).
Professor Alexis Jay, the author of the recent report into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham, will act as an expert adviser to the panel.
Woolf’s website says she has more than 20 years' experience in dealing with regulation, market design, implementation and major projects in the electricity industry.
She has advised more than 28 governments and the World Bank on privatisation and energy reforms.
“Ensuring lessons are learned from the mistakes which have been made in the past and resulted in children being subjected to the most horrific crimes is a vital and solemn undertaking,” Woolf said.
“I was honoured to be approached to lead such an important inquiry, and look forward to working with the panel to ensure these mistakes are identified and never repeated."
Home Secretary Theresa May, who appointed Woolf, said serious failings by public bodies in relation to child sexual abuse “have sent shockwaves through the country and shaken public confidence in the pillars of society in which we should have total trust”.
She added: “That is why the government has announced that an independent panel of experts will consider whether such organisations have taken seriously their duty of care to protect children from sexual abuse.
“We are absolutely clear that we must learn the lessons of past failures and the panel will be instrumental in helping us to do this.”
